


Fox Problems

by Pretzle05



Category: Rune Factory 4
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Comedy, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, I'm still going to tag it though, Love Confessions, Romance, Self-Indulgent, Spoilers, cute dates, is it still spoilers for a game that came out in 2012, just in case
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:34:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22823389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pretzle05/pseuds/Pretzle05
Summary: There was just something about those ears.
Relationships: Frey/Leon (Rune Factory)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 78





	Fox Problems

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all! Just a little oneshot I wrote up about my favorite fox boy to celebrate the release of Rune Factory 4 Special! I've been playing these games since I was a kid, so the revival of the franchise is a HUGE deal for me. This is based on my favorite date interaction in the entire game. I hope you all enjoy!

Frey had always been a very curious person. Well, at least for as long as she could remember, which wasn’t saying much. But nevertheless, she was currently quite curious. Maybe it was that curiosity that had originally attracted her to Leon. The man sealed in Leon Karnac. The first guardian and one of Venti’s dearest friends. The man might as well have been a mystery wrapped in an enigma inside of a paradox all tied up with a big old question mark. 

He reveled in taunting people (especially a certain lady knight), yet he never went too far; never turned away someone who really needed his help. He _seemed_ to care only for himself and his own amusement, but the well-worn translation papers scattered about his room and Xiao Pai’s testimonies of finding him asleep at his desk time and time again tell a different story. He was so _worldly,_ yet he never seemed quite present, as though he was trapped in some distant memory from a time long since passed.

In short, he was everything Frey wasn’t, and it was _infuriating._

And it was precisely why she had to befriend him.

Sure, he teased her and poked fun at her with that _maddeningly_ enticing smirk on his lips, leaving her stammering and red-faced for multiple reasons. At first, she really just wanted to pick his brain; learn more about this man of unfathomable history. But the more she spoke to him, and the more time she spent with him, the less interested she became in his past and the more interested she became in _him._

It was a startling development, almost frightening. She felt foolish, like a giddy teenage girl with a hopeless crush on her attractive adult teacher. Though they were likely very close in actual age, Frey couldn’t help but feel… below him, almost. Not that he made her feel inferior, but he was just _so much_ and she…… was so very little. No history. No memories. No life beyond Selphia. Nothing.

At first, she didn’t let herself even entertain the idea of a relationship. She was almost certain that he would laugh her off if she told him how she felt. And besides, why would Leon ever want to be with someone so different from him—someone like her? He wouldn’t, right?

As time went on, she became less and less certain of that fact.

The slight glint that appeared in his eye when he saw her, the way his cheeks would flush when she decided to tease him back for once, the long gazes from across the room (turning almost jealous-looking when she was talking with one of the other young men in town), the lingering touches that lasted just a _little too long_ to be just friendly: all these things contradicted what she had accepted as truth. But instead of filling her with joy that her feelings may be reciprocated, it only made her all the more confused.

All rational signs said that he liked her, or at least found her attractive, but she knew better than most anyone that Leon was not exactly a rational man. Should she risk the relationship they currently had, certainly making a fool out of herself? Or should she stay quiet and let the question of what might have been slowly eat away at her?

For quite some time, she chose the latter.

As loathe as she was to become a stereotype, she eventually became so desperate that she confided in the other girls at one of Meg’s sleepovers. She doesn’t think she’ll ever forget the look of sheer and utter panic on Forte’s face, or the vehement “absolutely not!” that followed it.

Other than Forte, everyone was thrilled that Frey had found someone special, even if they were a bit confused as to _why_ it was who it was. They managed to convince her that yes, he definitely had feelings for her, despite her doubts. Amber even admitted that she’d seen him stop by the flower shop on more than a few occasions and pick out a bouquet, only to seemingly lose his nerve and leave without it. When asked about it, he denied such a thing had ever happened.

Frey was hopeful, if anything. For once, she started to consider that a relationship was at least possible. But she still had priorities. She promised her friends that she would confess. ……Eventually. Not until after she saved Venti from the Forest of Beginnings. It wouldn’t feel right to continue on with a potentially major step in her life without her best friend. And maybe she was looking for a reason to put it off. Maybe.

Well, a few months of pining, clinic visits, and rethinking all of her life choices later, Venti was back. The town was overjoyed, and Frey was too. But, the return of Ventuswill marked the end of Frey’s only valid excuse for putting off addressing her feelings for Leon. So, she made up new ones. Weeds in the fields? Well, then she’d better spend the next three days making a full sweep to make sure they don’t come back. Eliza had some new requests? She certainly couldn’t put her own personal matters before the needs of Selphia. If Forte wanted a sparring partner, Margret needed song inspiration, or Arthur lost another pair of glasses, Frey was first in line to lend her assistance. Not that she normally wouldn’t have, but she performed these tasks with the exuberance and gusto of a procrastinator desperately putting off something important.

It wasn’t long before Venti took notice of and confronted Frey about her strange behavior. She managed to pull the reluctant truth out of Frey and proceeded to give her a scolding that would have embarrassed her had she any actual respect for the overgrown lizard. She was fully prepared to make a half-hearted promise about getting to it eventually, but Venti said something that struck a chord with her: “If he makes you happy, and you know he feels the same way, then what’s stopping you?”

She’d like to say that she dropped everything and told him immediately, but it was late. What she did do, however, was confront him the next morning, her voice portraying a confidence she did not even slightly feel. He seemed… rattled almost, which was completely out of character. “I… need some time to think. Meet me tomorrow morning at ten in the town square,” he said.

It pained Frey to wait one more second to know, but she complied. One sleepless night, a disappointing response, and a desperate proclamation of love later, and all of a sudden, she was dating the man she’d been pining over seemingly since he’d come to Selphia.

It was a strange development to get used to. If anything, Leon became a little more relentless with his teasing. The only difference was that now Frey also had some power. A power that she was quickly learning how to harness.

* * *

One of the most curious things about Leon, in Frey’s opinion, was actually quite superficial: his ears. What kind of person has honest-to-gods fox ears? Or a tail? She had so many questions, but she was afraid of being rude. Was it an affect of being a guardian? Did he always have them? Where did they come from? Why a fox?

However, she couldn’t honestly say that her interest in her boyfriend’s ears was pure curiosity. Frey was a simple girl: she liked cute animals. Therefore, she liked to pet cute animals, including their ears. It’d be a lie to say that she’d never secretly fantasized about touching them. Were they as soft as they looked? Would he even let her?

On Frey and Leon’s fourth date, she decided to throw caution to the wind and attempt it. If he didn’t like it or was uncomfortable, she wouldn’t do it, simple as that. She figured that maybe she had a bit more leeway on something like this due to her status as his girlfriend. He’d certainly tease her to no end, but she doubted he’d be truly angry with her for asking.

It was mid-summer, so Frey had suggested the day prior that they have a little picnic at Dragon Lake. Leon agreed with that easy-going smirk of his, but the slight twitch of one of his ears and flick of his tail gave away his excitement.

Luckily, there really wasn’t anyone else at the beach that day. If there had been, Frey wasn’t certain she’d be bold enough to follow through with her mission. She had made some onigiri and grilled seafood for lunch (lamp squid and rainbow trout for him and some shrimp for her, she wasn’t too fond of being poisoned or sealed). They ate in relative peace, just listening to the lapping of the waves and enjoying each other’s company. They had brought their fishing rods, so after they were done eating, they leisurely sat back and cast out their lines.

Frey, however, had quite a difficult time focusing on the water. Should she ask now? Was it too weird of a question? Should she even ask at all? Her eyes kept wandering over to glance at his figure. For all her fidgeting and nervous energy, he looked remarkably relaxed. Being at the beach gave him an excuse to wear even less clothing than usual, so his tanned chest was completely bare, the sun glinting off of a few stray droplets of water from the light spray of the tides. She should probably be used to it by now, considering he walked around town practically half-naked, but she still felt some heat rise to her cheeks.

“Do you need something?” Leon smirked lazily and raised an eyebrow in her direction. “Or are you just enjoying the view?”

Frey squeaked. Apparently, she wasn’t as subtle as she thought. “N-no, it’s nothing…! Nothing at all…!”.

Leon frowned and scooted a little closer to her. “Now, now, as much as I love those red cheeks of yours, I don’t like it when you lie to me. What is it?”

Frey ducked her head down in a futile attempt to conceal her flushed face, both from the question and from his proximity. “I-it’s really not that important. Don’t worry about it.”

“Nonsense. Everything you think is important.” Frey looked up to meet his eyes, slightly startled by his sincerity. “But,” he continued, “If you really don’t want to talk about it, I’ll let it be just this once.” He turned his attention back to his fishing pole but didn’t move away.

While Frey was touched at his understanding, she was a little mortified that now he _knew._ He knew that there was something bothering her, and that fact alone was only going to make fulfilling her goal even more difficult.

She spent so long debating with herself if she should ask or not, that before she knew it it was time for them to leave. Leon stood and offered her his hand, which she used to help pull herself to her feet. “Ah, well, as much as I’d love to spend the whole day lounging on the beach with you, its probably best that we part ways for now.” He smiled. “Shall I walk you home?”

Frey panicked. Never mind waiting for the right time, this was her last chance before she had to go home yet again feeling embarrassed and disappointed that she hadn’t been able to request such a simple thing of her boyfriend. However, she couldn’t seem to find the words. “W-wait! I, um, uh…”

Leon cocked his head to the side quizzically. “Yes? Is something wrong, Love?”

Without thinking, Frey shot her hand out and patted Leon on the head. _‘Oh my gods, what am I **doing?!?!?!’**_

He jumped and jerked away. “H-hey! W-what are you d-doing?” A light blush bloomed across his face.

Leon? Stuttering? Blushing? That was _not_ the reaction Frey had expected. _‘Hmm… Interesting…’_ She felt the beginnings of a smirk begin to grow on her lips. “Just a friendly little pat on the head. What? Is something wrong?” She did it again.

“D-don’t…! Stop…! Th-that tickles…!”

There was a wicked glint in her eyes. She could touch his ears _and_ embarrass him at the same time? _‘Revenge time.’_ “Don’t stop, you say? Okay, I won’t!”

“Th-that’s not what I meant and you know i—” He let out a very undignified squeak as she began to pat and stroke his ears. Frey couldn’t help the wide grin on her face. They were even softer than they looked and getting to see Leon so cute and flustered was just the icing on the cake. He was laughing so hard she was afraid he might pass out. She had no idea his head was so sensitive!

With one last stroke of his head, she finally decided to show some mercy. He panted heavily as he attempted to catch his breath. “What,” he breathed, still gasping for air, “was that for?”

Frey felt a touch of heat rise to her own face now. “W-well, I mean I just kind of wanted to… um…………. t-touch your ears.” Before he could respond, she launched into a frantic explanation. “I-it’s just that they look so fluffy and soft and they’re kind of cute a-and I really don’t know what came over me I’m _so_ sorry.”

Leon flushed darker at her words, and his eyes widened. He was quiet for a long moment, seeming to struggle for words. “……Oh. Okay then.” He rubbed the back of his neck (dare she say) sheepishly. “You know you could have just… asked me. I, uh, wouldn’t have said no.” He smirked, though the redness of his cheeks gave away how embarrassed he still was. “Or maybe I would have. Who knows?”

Frey huffed, but she let the comment slide. Leon just wouldn’t be Leon if he _completely_ stopped with all his teasing. “So, are you going to walk me home?”

Leon’s face melted into an easy smile. “Of course.” She took his hand, and she went home feeling extremely satisfied, with a little bubble of contentment blooming in her chest. As much as his teasing could irritate her, it was always a treat to get to turn the tables on him for once.


End file.
